August 31, 2008

HOLLYWOOD: A brothers' road trip to bury their mother’s ashes unearths the saga of a Mexican American family in P.O.V.’s Calavera Highway.

Upon her death, Rosa Peña left her seven “Golden Boys” a legacy of strength and pride, and troubling questions about the family’s past. A migrant worker and single mother, Peña raised her seven sons in the Texas border towns of Hidalgo County, the poorest country in the United States.

She worked hard, had two husbands – she chased off the second one with a knife when he beat one of the boys – and instilled in her sons a strong sense of family and ethnic pride. With her death, her grown sons were left adrift. As recounted in the documentary, by filmmakers Renee Tajima-Peña and Evangeline Griego, Peña’s funeral and cremation brought the boys together – and tore them apart again.

Among the questions that nag all the brothers is what happened to the first five boys’ father? Was he swept up in the notorious 1954 government deportation program, Operation Wetback? Why had Rosa’s own family so cruelly rejected her and her sons to fend for themselves?

Calavera Highway, which has its broadcast premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), is a Rosasboys Production in association with P.O.V. | American Documentary. It is a co-presentation with Latino Public Broadcasting and is funded in part by the Center for Asian American Media with funds provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, P.O.V. is public television’s premier showcase for point-of-view, nonfiction films, and is a 2007 recipient of a Special News & Documentary Emmy Award for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking.

Created in 1998 by Edward James Olmos and Marlene Dermer, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) is a nonprofit organization funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. American Documentary, Inc. is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets.

HOLLYWOOD: An age-old issue has resurfaced on the entertainment scene once more – or better said, it’s never really gone away. An actress friend sent me an email regarding an article that appeared on ABC News Online in June (Is Hollywood Whitewashing Ethnic Roles?) By Luchina Fisher that highlighted the sub-headline: “In Films Based on Fact, White Actors Take Parts Meant for Other Races.”

The roles mentioned in the article included the movie Stuck, based on a real-life story, which features actress Mena Suvari (American Beauty) in the role of a Texas woman who was convicted of murder and evidence tampering after striking a homeless man with her car and leaving him to die, and for which she received 50-year and 10-year concurrent sentences. The Texas woman, Chante Mallard is African-American and Suvari is blond and blue-eyed who wears cornrows to play the role of Brandi in the film.

Another example: last year’s A Mighty Heart, which featured Angelina Jolie in the role of writer Mariane Pearl, an Afro-Cuban and Dutch who grew up in France. It’s this kind of casting that is frustrating to actors of color who feel short changed from competing for all roles other than the negative ones they are cast in. In this particular instance, as the article points out, it was Pearl who wanted Jolie to play her, however, the fact that Jolie wore a corkscrew wig and tinted makeup apparently shocked some members of the black community, especially black actresses who felt they should have had the opportunity to audition for the role.

In her article, Fisher cites what many ethnic actors have already experienced: “it’s not uncommon for white actors to be cast in ethnic roles or for real-life stories to be ‘whitewashed’ to make them more mainstream,” and in most cases may be the only way the film will be made. The other reality is that making films is a business and making money or recouping the investment is really what the industry is all about, so as Fisher points out, “Sometimes, ethnicity and the reality of the story are sacrificed.”

Sometimes, however, casting a big name or “bankable star” doesn’t always guarantee big bucks at the box office, as was the case with A Mighty Heart, which failed in that regard. Yet, had Jolie not taken on this project and not been cast in the part, the film probably would never have been made.

Another example cited by Fisher is the film 21, which based on the book, Busting Vegas: The MIT Whiz Kid Who Brought the Casinos to their Knees, by Ben Mezrich. In the book, the real whiz kid and his partners are Asian American, but the filmmakers took artistic license by making them all white, except for one Asian. The reasoning: to make the film more mainstream and giving it a better chance to succeed at the box office. Also filmmakers are reluctant to cast unknowns in lead roles, unlike independent filmmakers who often cast non-white unknowns for authenticity. Audience acceptance is evidenced by many of these films which do turn a profit.

Whether the role is based on real-life people or is fictional, actors of color have a harder time getting an audition simply because many of them are unknown, so unless you’re a Salma Hayek, Maria Conchita Alonso, Penelope Cruz or Kate del Castillo and the like who were already stars in their own country before they turned to crossing over to American audiences, their chances of getting into an audition is dismal. Given the chance to compete for all roles, regardless of what color or ethnicity the script calls for, is the only way actors of color can prove that they are capable of performing as well as their white counterparts. That also means, however, that actors of color also have to accept the fact that whites can play other roles as well. This would be an acceptable compromise if there was a balance, but until that balance exists, people of color will have to continue struggling for the opportunity to prove what they are capable of doing and that they too can become bankable. The problem is, those at the top aren’t willing to take that chance and until they are, things are not likely to change.

In response to this issue, Bel Hernandez, CEO and publisher of Latin Heat Entertainment, points out that it’s not an issue of anyone “deserving” anything, but Latinos are entitled to speak up for “fair representation,” given that Latinos are the number one film going audience, and are also avid TV watchers that buy the products advertised. “When we have a spending power of 900 billion dollars a year (about 12 billion in entertainment alone) and projected to reach one trillion by 2015, I do believe we are entitled to speak up for fair representation.”

More than one respondent remarked that this conversation will continue for another 20 years, because the only color that matters in this country is “green.” And, as actress Dyana Ortelli points out in her email, “we’re simply not playing on a level playing field,” especially when she’s rejected by casting directors to audition for an Italian role because she’s Mexican. “Did Hollywood think Laura San Giacomo was too Italian to play Frida Kahlo?” That film project fell through after Latinos protested and the film was finally made years later by Salma Hayek earning critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination.

Ortelli who started out in the business more than two decades ago using her Spanish surname Ortiz became so tired of being cast as a Mexican maid, prostitute and other negative roles, she changed her name to Ortelli and found herself being cast as an Italian maid, prostitute, etc. A talented actress and frustrated by the lack of positive roles for Latino actors in Hollywood, she began doing stand-up comedy. Her East L.A. “cholita” character, Ramona From Pomona, has become a favorite with Latino audiences.

It was Ortelli’s comedic timing and ability to create unconventional, lovable characters that brought her to the attention of director Jose Luis Valenzuela, who cast her in the role of Irene in the critically acclaimed film Luminarias. It was a role she could not refuse, after years of playing Latino characters which were unusually undocumented, unemployed, uneducated, or on drugs. Finally, she was able to play a contemporary, educated, fashionable, outrageous and funny Latino woman. Instead of the stereotypical “barrio” wardrobe, she got to wear outrageous and unique clothing that she designed herself. In fact, Ortelli’s wardrobe got so much attention, it prompted the Austin Chronicle to say, “Irene’s way-over-the-top miniature sombrero couture is absolutely worth the price of admission.”

So what does Ortelli think Latino actors deserve? “I don’t care if a show plays in New York or Ohio, we are part of the fabric of this country and deserve to be represented in numbers proportionate to our population. We deserve a representation of an 'authentic America,' and not a Hollywood whitewash. It is an intolerable arrogance for Caucasians to think they can or should play all the races of the world, especially when deserving, talented people of color are there to play them.”

“The ‘same old, same old’ argument that you need ‘box office names’ to sell a movie is well known by us Latino actors (and activists)…as far back as the ‘70s. Remember our outcry at Robbie Benson playing a Latino gang member way back when? Glenn Close, Meryl Streep, Wynona Rider playing Chileans in The House of the Spirits? Angelica Houston as a Cubana in The Perez Family? Al Pacino in Scarface? Armand Assante in Mambo Kings?” And citing a quote by a well-known actor, Ortelli recalls the outcry during the Frida Kahlo protest, “They can play us, but we can’t play them?” And, “We’re interesting enough to make movies about, but not good enough to play ourselves?”

“Good stories and good actors have repeatedly proved the ‘big box office name’ theory to be absolutely incorrect. Don’t forget the huge success of Like Water for Chocolate with no ‘box office names’ whatsoever around the same time that The Perez Family and House of Spirits basically tanked in spite of their big name stars.”

Furthermore, she adds, “Selena and La Bamba, who offered us authenticity in favor of established ‘white’ stars, also proved to be a huge success. Television and film have a long way to go in representing an authentic America. But Latinos, in my opinion, have definitely gotten the shortest end of the stick. Television shows from Ally McBeal to Boston Legal to The View may be considered diverse by some. After all, they’ve all had Asian and black representation. But I’m still wondering, where are the Latinos?”

As her son said to her once, after he got fed up with auditioning for gang members and drug runners and chose to quit show biz altogether, “Mom, you and your friends have been having the same conversation for 20 years.” Sadly Ortelli agrees, so until things get better she’s off to clean her neighbor’s house so she can get in character for her next big role. And the beat goes on.

Garcia will be honored with the Foundation’s Creative Achievement Award; Plana will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Villalobos, the prestigious Norman Lear Writer’s Award.

Among her many achievements, Villalobos penned and executive produced Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna), a feature film that was an Official Selection at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and became the highest sale for a Spanish-language film in the history of Sundance. Upon its release on March 19, 2008 by Fox Searchlight and The Weinstein Company, the film went on to break the three-day opening weekend record for a Spanish-language film. Made for under $2 million, the film has earned over $22 million worldwide.

A veteran of film, stage and television, Plana is also one of the most active advocates of outreach programs that bring the world of entertainment to hundreds and thousands of youngsters and young adults. He currently stars in Ugly Betty, ABC’s groundbreaking hit series for which he received an award from the International Press Academy and an Alma Award nomination for best supporting actor in a television comedy. Plana has starred in more than 70 feature films, has portrayed leading roles in four critically acclaimed television series and his Broadway credits include Zoot Suit and Boys of Winter.

Writer-director Rodrigo Garcia, born in Bogota, Columbia and raised in Mexico, is the son of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a world-renowned author, journalist, and Nobel Prize winner. Garcia has earned his own fame as a prolific and award-winning television and film director who has directed a variety of independent films and several episodes of the HBO series, Six Feet Under and The Sopranos, among others. His most recent feature film project is Sony Pictures’ Passengers, which will be released in fall 2008.

Best Theatrical Short or Student Film
Below the Fold, The Pulitzer that Defined Latino Journalism, Produced & Directed by Roberto Gudino, Executive Producer Olga Briseno
Nina Quebrada, Produced by Diana Romero and Directed by Jen Kleiner
A Day at the Theatre: Produced by Karla Ojeda and Directed by Kenneth Castillo
Proof of Birth, Produced by Sergei Krasikav, Directed by Jose Luis Orbegozo
Suripanta, Produced by David Rodriguez and Edward Cohen, Directed by David Rodriguez Estrada

Best Documentary for Television
Borinqueneers (The) El Pozo Productions
Brown is the New Green, Producer & Director, Phillip Rodriguez
Made in L.A., Producer and Director, Robert Bahar and Almudena Carracedo
Orozco: Man of Fire, Producer and Director, Laurie Coyle and Rick Tejada Flores
Recycled Life (Cinemax Reel Life), Iwerks-Glad Production in association with HBO/Cinemax Documentary Film
Toxic City: This is Where I Live, Producer & Director, Nori Takei, mun2

The Imagen Foundation awards are unique in that they recognize entertainment entities and individuals who support Imagen’s mission which is to enhance opportunities for Latinos in front of and behind the camera and feature Latino actors in positive roles. The Imagen Foundation serves as a liaison between the industry and the Hispanic community by providing access, education and resources. Additional information regarding Imagen, its awards program and annual Job Fair in January is available at www.imagen.org or by calling (626) 836-6100.

LOS ANGELES: Earlier this month, the Lifetime Movie Network hosted a world premiere screening for the original movie Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story.

The film stars Judy Reyes (Scrubs) in the lead role as Luz Cuevas, a working class mother who is told that her infant daughter, Delimar, has perished in a suspicious fire in their Philadelphia row house. Despite the evidence and based only on her intuition as a mother Luz remains convinced that her daughter was kidnapped and that she’s still alive.

Luz and her husband (Luis Bustamante) attempt to put the tragedy behind them for the sake of their other children, however Luz continues to suspect her distant cousin (Ana Ortiz) of foul play and enlists the help of Angel Cruz (A Martinez), a sympathetic state representative. The film also features Marlene Forte and David Zayas.

A must see presentation, the movie premieres on Sunday, Aug 17 at 8PM ET/9PM PT, on the Lifetime Movie Network.

EAST LOS ANGELES: Seventy-six teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Los Angeles are recipients of $225,000 in scholarships provided by Toyota Financial Services. This is the second year TFS has provided scholarships for the club’s members, staff and recent alumni under its “Making Life Easier” program. In recognition of the tremendous success of last year’s scholarship recipients, TFS increased the fund from $150,000 to $225,000 this year.

The scholarship fund is part of TFS’s national giving strategy of supporting at risk youth who have shown academic achievement and serve as role models by volunteering in their community. The scholarships will allow economically disadvantaged youth to pursue their higher education goals by providing up to $10,000 for university, college, trade or vocational school tuition and fees. In addition to scholarships, TFS has once again provided the Boys & Girls Clubs of East L.A. $275,000 in funding for the club’s after-school programs and family economic development programs.

The awards presentation was held at a luncheon, Aug. 13, at which recipients received backpacks filled with school supplies and also a tour of a private Auto Museum at Toyota’s headquarters in Torrance, CA. Scholarship recipients were accompanied by their families, Boys & Girls Clubs of East L.A. Executive Director Anna Araujo, TFS President & CEO George Borst and hundreds of TFS employees.

Scholarship recipients include Brittany Ulloa, 17; Manuel Garcia, Jr., 23; and Claudia Guerrero, 21. Ulloa, admitted to Wellesley with dreams of becoming a doctor to help less fortunate people here and abroad. President of the club’s Keystone Club, she considers the staff and other members her second family and “the epitome of what giving back is all about.”

Garcia is a junior at Cal State L.A. studying civic engineering. He credits his time as a member and a tutor at the Boys & Girls Club as a driving force in shaping his character and giving him confidence in himself to pursue a college degree.

Guerrero, 21, admitted to University of Phoenix is seeking a BA in human resources. She has been involved with the Boys & Girls Club since she was five and works there today as an administrative assistant. “Every community has its problems,” says Guerrero, “but to me there is no place like East Los Angeles." She began her studies at Chico State , but had to put them on hold and return to Los Angeles. As time went on, she became depressed that she was not in school and then afraid to pick up where she had left off. But coming back to the Boys & Girls Club, she began to realize that “the only person holding me back was myself.” She now looks forward to continuing her work at the club and starting classes once more this fall.

June 28, 2008

LOS ANGELES: Latino Leaders Magazine came out with its third annual edition last month of The Top 25 Most Influential Latin Women in America issue. Among those named is Jackeline Cacho, a veteran award-winning international journalist and broadcaster with Univision and Azteca America.

Her international talk show, En Familia con Jackeline Cacho, which she describes as “the next evolution in Spanish television,” is scheduled to begin broadcasting this fall. She intends to bring the real issues affecting the Latin world to the forefront on her new television show by featuring special guests, in-depth stories and features, and practical solutions for millions of today’s Latinos.

As a winner of many recent industry and community service awards including Woman of the Year in 2007 by the National Hispanic Professional Women’s Association, she also lends her help to many great non-profit causes around the country such as The City of Hope, The Peace Alliance, Jovenes, Inc and many others.

As an activist for the Latino community and a long-time entrepreneur with her own production company, she has represented her native country in several international beauty pageants before making her way to America.

Based in Los Angeles, Ca., Cacho is co-founder of JC Enterprises, Inc. and Finding Productions which are privately held companies focused on bringing the best television, events, entertainment, and publications to the Latin community. For business inquiries or customized sponsorship packages please contact business manager Gary Christmas at (714) 915-1183 or gxmas06@gmail.com or visit Jackie’s website http://jackelinecacho.com

PASADENA: The National Hispanic Media Coalition’s early support of V-me Television, one of the nation’s fastest growing digital Spanish Language TV network, earned Alex Nogales, the coalition’s president and CEO, the network’s Visionary Award earlier this year.

The award was presented to Nogales and Congressman Charles B. Rangel in Washington, D.C. where the network unveiled a new PSA that raises awareness among Spanish and English-speaking viewers about the digital TV transition from analog broadcast in February 2009.

The 60-second PSA, produced by V-me, features award-winning actress Lupe Ontiveros. The spot, produced in English and Spanish, uses humor and straight talk to help viewers understand what the shift from analog to digital means. Most importantly, the PSA directs viewers to the official information Web site: www.dtv2009.gov.

COSTA MESA: The Orange County Fair opens for 21 days of fun and entertainment Friday, July 11 to Sunday, August 3, featuring the theme, SAY CHEESE.

The Fair will be open the following hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon – midnight. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – midnight. Closed Mondays.

Admission is only: General (13-59) $9; Seniors (60+) $7 Children (6-12) $5; Children 5 and under free.

Take advantage of free parking and admission on Opening Day, July 11, from noon to 1 p.m.
Kids under 12 are admitted free on Tuesdays (July 15, 22 and 29) and kids under 5 are free every day. The Fair is closed on Mondays (July 14, 21 and 28).

Senior Days are Thursdays, July 17, 24 and 31. Admission is $4 for seniors 60+ and free merry-go-round and Ferris wheel all day.

Enjoy the many activities at the OC Fair. Among them are the following:

Summer Book Drive - Wednesday, July 30
Free admission, noon-6 p.m., plus one carnival ride with each donation of one (1) new
children’s book OR three (3) gently used children’s books per person.

OC Fair Cattle Drive - Saturday, July 26
See 300 steers in a cattle drive through the streets of Costa Mesa from Fairview Park to the
OC Fair. The three-and-one-half mile route starts at 10 a.m. at the northwest portion of
Fairview Park, heads south to Placentia Ave., then south on Placentia Ave, east on Victoria St., north on Harbor Blvd., and finally east on Fair Dr. to the Vanguard Way entrance of the fairgrounds.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I've been feeling a little blue lately. First, I was disappointed that Cristian de la Fuente came in third on Dancing With the Stars, making it the third time my favorite dancer didn’t win. Incidentally, the multi-talented actor can currently be seen in USA’s TV series In Plain Sight in the role of Mary McCormack’s boyfriend. McCormack plays an agent in a witness protection program.

Second, my e-mail was down for most of June, which prevented me from sending or receiving my messages. Since I couldn’t get satisfaction from the Internet provider or the server, each of which blamed the other for the glitch that neither seemed capable of resolving. I took things into my own hands. I cancelled the ineffective account and, therefore, had to set up a new one with a new e-mail address.

On the top of that came the major disappointment of Hillary Clinton’s loss of the Democratic Presidential nomination. Her defeat leaves us with two candidates that do not inspire me in the least. I find it difficult to endorse a candidate who I can’t believe didn’t know that his mentor and spiritual advisor for 20 years was so anti-America, then there's his questionable friendship with known terrorists, and his wife’s elitist attitude that only he is capable of saving our country. On the Republican side, although the candidate is running on his political experience and war record, his questionable family values and age play a major factor in his campaign.

I find it ironic that Clinton has been criticized for her tenacity, frankness, determination, an uncanny ability to play hard ball among other traits that, while acceptable in men, are seen as defects in women. Well, folks, we’d better get ready because if the democrats win this election, we can be sure that the candidate’ s “rock” and “foundation” who has been his closest advisor throughout the campaign and who calls the shots in both his professional and personal life, will make her presence definitely felt in the White House. If Clinton’s critics thought she was a disturbing influence during her husband’s tenure, we can be sure we ain’t seen nothing yet because should the Democratic candidate win, there are certain to be two presidents moving into he oval office, and one of them will be a woman.

NEXT POST: Just as soon I get over the Hillary Blues or return from two weeks of R&R, whichever comes first. Stay tuned.

May 30, 2008

LOS ANGELES: Luis Avalos’ modern production of Rodolfo Usigli’s 20th Century classic Mexican play El Gesticulador (The Impostor) opens June 5 at The New LATC in Los Angeles. The Impostor is a production of The Americas Theatre Arts Foundation, and is presented by special arrangement with La Sociedad General de Escritores de Mexico and the family of Rodolfo Usigli.

The story revolves around a college professor who assumes the identity of a lost hero of the Mexican Revolution and in so doing changes the lives of everyone around him. El Gesticulador, Usigli’s most famous play became the only play ever banned by the Mexican government for political reasons after its premiere in 1938.

Avalos, founder and artistic director of the Americas Theatre Arts Foundation, is translator and director of The Impostor. He was born in Cuba and raised in New York City, where he graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the immediately joined Lincoln Center Repertory Theater performing on Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatre productions.

The multi-talented actor, who earned national recognition for his starring role in the critically acclaimed TV series The Electric Company (630 episodes), has also accumulated an impressive record on the small screen in other TV series, including ER and Resurrection Boulevard for which he received the Alma Award. His screen credits include The Ringer, Hollywood Homicide, Love Stinks and many more.

His directing credits include two Spanish language features in Mexico, Palenque and La Revancha and a Telemundo special, El Regalo de Paquito, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He later wrote the book and lyrics for the multi-award winning musical Paquito’s Christmas, which debuted at LATC in 1994 and has been much produced on both coasts since. He also directed a short for Universal, Always Roses which won the San Antonio Film Festival.

The play opens June 5 and runs through June 22. Performance times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. General tickets reasonably priced at $15 and $12 for seniors and students. Reservations: (213) 489-0994 ext. 107. Online Ticketing: www.thenewlatcstore.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the New LATC box office starting two hours before each performance. Since this production is presented in the intimate Theatre 4, seating is limited, so make your reservations early. You won't want to miss this extraordinary production.

PASADENA: The National Hispanic Media Coalition has launched a new Web site to combat the verifiable increase in hate crimes against American Latinos and the Latino immigrant community, in particular. The new Web site, www.latinosagainsthatespeech.org, is user-friendly and content-rich with three primary objectives: to raise awareness about this growing issue; to educate the public and supporting organizations about the emotional and long-term impact of hate speech; and to help visitors to the Web site take action against the increasing amount of ugly rhetoric against Latinos on American radio and television.

“We must take a stand against Hate Speech,” explained Alex Nogales, NHMC President/CEO. “The most recent report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on this issue (“Immigrants Targeted: Extremist Rhetoric Moves into the Mainstream”) addresses how the strategy of blaming immigrants for all of society’s ills, is now spreading to mainstream America.” Nogales also explained that the FBI released a report this year demonstrating that hate crimes against Latinos had increased by 25% between 2004 and 2006. “This is simply unacceptable,” lamented the well-known Latino media activist.

NHMC began its campaign against hate speech over a year ago by asking Congress to request an update of the 1993 National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Report to Congress: “The Role of Communications in Hate Crimes.” The NHMC anticipates that this updated report will document that there is in fact a direct cause and effect to violence generated by what radio and television is broadcasting. As a result of the efforts by the NHMC, members of Congress recently signed a joint letter addressed to the NTIA requesting an update to the 1993 report. “Although it will take a year to complete, an update of this study is imperative in order to produce verifiable data that shows the cause and effect of hate speech and its manifestation of hate crimes,” explained Mr. Nogales.

As part of the launch, the NHMC will work closely with the ADL and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), to address hate speech and the increase of anti-immigrant sentiment across the country. MALDEF’s launching of its own Web site, www.truthinimmigration.org, is a means to refute legal and factual inaccuracies about immigrants and Latinos.

The goal of the NHMC and its partnering organizations is to make sure that hate speech is not allowed to hide behind the banner of “free speech.” Nogales summarized, “Hate speech is simply bad for all Americans – it encourages bigotry, makes ignorance acceptable and it emboldens extremists to take action against those who are least able to defend themselves.”

For more information on the National Hispanic Media Coalition, or Hate Speech against Latinos please go to www.nhmc.org, www.latinosagainsthatespeech.org, or call (626) 792-NHMC (6462).

ESCONDIDO: On a lighter note, just discovered from one of my cyberspace pals, that most of us have unnecessarily been struggling with aluminum foil boxes for the longest time. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone to pull out a piece of foil and the entire roll falls out and after retrieving it had to start over.

Okay, so it’s not a life threatening experience, but annoying just the same, especially since it seems that the solution to this problem has been in front of us all the time. In fact, all my buddies with whom I’ve shared this with are in awe of how we’ve all missed it. So, the next time you grab for your aluminum foil take a look at the end of the box. Believe it or not, right there on the both ends is a tab that when pushed in, locks the roll in place. And on top of that, it seems like we’ve been missing those locking tabs on Saran Wrap boxes as well.

Certainly the world won’t come to an end because we never noticed this before, but by commenting on it, perhaps there will be fewer of us trying to keep it from rolling out of the box onto the floor, or trying to stuff crumpled foil back into the box.

NEXT POST: Hopefully before someone comes up with a solution to keep Saran Wrap from sticking to itself. Stay tuned.

May 05, 2008

PASADENA: CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California is presenting an intimate concert with David Hidalgo and Louie Perez of the internationally acclaimed roots-rock band Los Lobos at the Ice House Annex, Tuesday, May 20, 8-10 p.m.

The talented musicians have graciously donated their services for the evening; so all proceeds will benefit CCNMA, an organization committed to newsroom diversity through professional development and scholarship programs.

Cost for concert is $80 for prepaid tickets; $100 at the door. 7 p.m. advance ticket holders enjoy a special buffet reception at Metate, 12 N. Mentor (two doors south of the Ice House located at 24 Mentor Avenue, Pasadena – in the alley).

LOS ANGELES: Loving Maradona/Amando a Maradona, the turbulent life of one of the world’s most beloved soccer stars is now available on DVD through Image Entertainment, a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America.

Diego Armando Maradona’s life story, as told in his own words and those of countless fans and loved ones is the gripping true story of a man whose rise from the poverty of a Buenos Aires shantytown to sports star fame and fortune is as controversial as it is dramatic. You’ll also get an inside glimpse of the story behind Maradona’s scandals, his seclusion in Cuba and devotion to his family, as well as amazing highlights from some of his best games.

Career highlights of one of the most important soccer stars in history include: Winner of the FIFA Award Player of the Century as the Best Soccer Player of All Time; Played in Four World Cups; Led Argentina to victory in the World Cup, instantly becoming a sports hero to millions.

Loving Maradona is subtitled in English and contains additional commentary by Maradona himself as well as additional featurettes and trailers.

Image Entertainment is also presenting Che, a new film about the life of the world’s most famous revolutionary, starring Latin heartthrob Eduardo Noriega and international star Sonia Braga, in DVD coming out May 20, 2008.

Noriega (Vantage Point, Open Your Eyes, The Devil’s Backbone) electrifies in the title role of this fascinating story about Che’s fearless life, helping to lead a bloody socialist revolt that would shock the world.

EAST LOS ANGELES: The Salesian Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles is holding its Awards of Excellence Dinner on Thursday May 29, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Luminaria’s Restaurant, 3500 West Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, CA.

This year’s honorees are:

Tony Valdez, FOX 11 news anchor, for his exemplary commitment to the Salesian Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles and the youth of Los Angeles;

Salesian High School for 50 years of spiritual leadership in the Eastside community, and the outstanding commitment in providing quality education for all youth in Los Angeles;

Marshall Tuck, for his dedication to the Mayor’s Partnership for School Excellence, and his direct involvement in education reform efforts, developing opportunities, and partnerships with community based organizations and the improvement of education in public schools;

Juliana Gastelum, Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High School, recipient of the
Salesian Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year award.

Since 1966 and 1995 respectively, the Salesian Boys and Girls Club and the Salesian Family
Youth Center have provided creative and positive after-school and year-round activities to
thousands of children and youth in the communities of East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. The
Salesian Society and Club staff have worked tirelessly for 40 years on a lofty goal: to assist in
the formation of a civic-minded, well-educated, productive citizenry and leadership. Currently,
the clubs serve approximately 2,000 youth ages 6 to 18.

The Salesian Boys and Girls Clubs have been recognized for their effort in teen programming by
Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Club’s academic and social activities offer young people
what they need: adults who respect them, an encouraging environment where they can thrive, and
a haven where they can work to achieve their dreams.

For more information, please call (323) 263-7519.

NEXT POST: Just as soon as my five-year-old grandson takes another nap. Stay Tuned.

April 03, 2008

HOLLYWOOD: Yea! One of my favorite actors, Cristian de la Fuente and his dancing partner Cheryl Burke survived the third week of ABC’s top hit show, Dancing With the Stars. I had already decided not to watch this season’s show after my two favorites in previous shows – Mario Lopez and Marie Osmond – didn’t get the top prize, which I felt they so dearly deserved. However, I couldn’t resist finding out how de la Fuente would fare among so many talented competitors.

Chilean actor de la Fuente, who was spotted by a talent scout during his sophomore year as a civil engineering major at Santiago’s Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, is a handsome and versatile performer. Fluent in English and Spanish, he has made a name for himself as an actor on Spanish language telenovelas (J.Lo’s Como Ama una Mujer, Soñar No Cuesta Nada), and crossed over to English language projects that include CSI: Miami, Ugly Betty, Psych, Family Law, and a recurring role on the CBS sitcom The Class. Among his film credits, de la Fuente has starred opposite Sylvester Stallone in Driven, in John Carpenter’s Vampires: Los Muertos, and the independent thriller Minimal Knowledge.

His hosting credits include MGM’s Road to the Oscars for Latin America and the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade and has also presented at the Latin Billboard Awards, The World Music Awards and the Alma Awards.

Aside from his acting talents (and now he can add dancer to his resume), de la Fuente carries a pilot’s license and is an officer in the Reserves for the Chilean Air Force.

Sorry ladies, but this handsome hunk is taken. A father of one, he has been married to Chilean-born actress Angelica Castro since 2002.

Also exciting to watch are Priscilla Presley and actress Marlee Matlin. Presley not only looks wonderful for someone in her early sixties, but she glides through her numbers with the grace and elegance of a much younger dancer. Matlin, who is deaf, is astounding as a dancer who feels the music with her other senses. Presley is paired with professional dancer Louis van Amstel and Matlin's partner is newcomer Fabian Sanchez.

Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris are the show's hosts and Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba serve as judges. Dancing With The Stars airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. with the Results Show airing on Tuesday evenings at 9 p.m. on ABC.

HOLLYWOOD: PBS lovers take heed: there are some fascinating programs coming your way. Among them, NOVA Cracking the Maya Code, a definitive look back at how a handful of pioneers deciphered the intricate system of hieroglyphs developed by the Maya.

One of the greatest detective stories in all of archaeology, it has never been told in depth on television before. With glorious footage of Mayan temples and art, this documentary was many years in the making and culminates in the fascinating account of this once magnificent ancient civilization’s ingenious method of communication. The program airs Tuesday, April 8, 8-9 p.m. ET.

Other programming includes:

Carrier – a documentary series that follows a core group of film participants aboard the USS Nimitz, from the admiral of the strike group to the fighter pilots to the youngest sailors, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror.

The USS Nimitz is 24 stories high, three football fields long and carries more than 5,000 Navy personnel and 85 military aircraft. Filmed from May to November 2005, nearly 2,000 hours of high-definition video were captured aboard the ship during a full six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf, of which three months were spent in combat in support of the ground troops. Carrier premieres Sunday-Thursday, April 27-May 1, 9-11 p.m. ET with a repeat each night, 11p.m.-1 a.m. ET.

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? “Collateral Damage”/”Not Just a Paycheck” is part of a four-hour series that for the first time on television, sounds the alarm about glaring socio-economic and racial inequities in health and searches for their causes. The program looks at what’s making us sick in the first place, investigating startling new findings that suggest there is much more to poor health than bad habits, inadequate health care or unlucky genes. The series circles in on a slow killer in plain view: the social circumstances in which we are born, live and work that can affect our risk for disease as surely as germs and viruses.

Not Just a Paycheck takes a look at how job insecurity and unemployment affect health. Mainlanders view the Pacific Islands as a paradise. But diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney diseases and tuberculosis are taking a toll on the Pacific Islander population. In the Marshall Islands and in the unlikely spot of Springdale, Arkansas, this program shows how globalization is affecting health – often in unanticipated ways.

How does job insecurity and unemployment affect health? In rural western Michigan, residents struggle against depression, domestic violence, heart disease and diabetes when the largest refrigerator factory in the country shuts down. Ironically, the plant is owned by a Swedish company. In Sweden, shutdowns are relatively benign events and, for some people, even create opportunities, thanks to Swedish government policies. Program airs Thursday, April 17, 10-11 p.m. ET

American Experience Roberto Clemente. Baseball great Roberto Clemente’s talent and inimitable style drew legions of fans, but as this American Experience production reveals, he was more than an exceptional baseball player. He also was a committed humanitarian who challenged racial discrimination and worked for social justice. Program airs Monday, April 21, 9-10 p.m.

Secrets of the Dead “Aztec Massacre.” Throughout recent times, historians have believed that when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Aztec territory in the 15th century, they were welcomed as returning light-skinned gods by the Aztecs, who put up little resistance to their conquest. But now, a new find outside of Mexico City is turning history on its head. The discovery: more than 400 bodies, many of which show signs of having been mutilated and even eaten. More important, more than 40 of the bodies appear to be European, indicating that the Aztecs not only resisted the invaders, they sacrificed them to their gods, pulling their still-beating hearts from chests and stringing their heads (along with the heads of their horses) on wooden skull racks for public display.

Exploring the archeology of the site, the forensics of the bones and beautiful but grotesque codices that document the events, this program paints a new picture of the violent relations between the Aztecs and the conquistadors and rewrites much of what we thought we knew about the Aztec civilization. Program airs April 23, 8-9 p.m. and repeats April 25, 10-11 p.m. ET.

March 21, 2008

PASADENA: Oh boy, did I get into hot water over last month’s announcement that the National Hispanic Media Coalition had moved its offices to historic Pasadena’s “Old Town Pasadena.” No sooner was the ink dry when I received an email from a buddy who chastised me for referring to Pasadena as “Old Town.” He warned me to “duck” the next time I passed through town as I was sure to get some flak from “Pasadena veteranos” who get a little testy when someone refers to the old downtown part of Pasadena as “Old Town” instead of “Old Pasadena.”

Well, let me tell you that coming from someone who has lived in Pasadena for “a mere 20 years,” I took his advice to heart and prepared to be a target of tomato and egg throwers the next time I set foot in this quaint community.

However, after a quick trip through cyberspace, I did find several references to “Old Pasadena” as well as “Old Town Pasadena” even on the Old Pasadena.com Web site. Most of the references to “Old Town” were business and commercial sites (Old Town Picture Show, Old Town Conservatory of Music, Old Town Pasadena Antiques, etc.), so it’s easy to see why some people (like me) could get a bit confused when it came to distinguishing between “Old Town Pasadena” and “Old Pasadena.”

And to my old buddy, I say, “You were right, but I wasn’t wrong, the NHMC and I were just confused.”

BEVERLY HILLS: And speaking of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the organization held its 11th Annual Impact Awards Gala last month to honor, among others, international star Salma Hayek and her Ugly Betty co-executive producers Silvio Horta and Jose Tamez for their vision and commitment to bringing the Emmy-Award winning drama to the forefront of the American consciousness.

NHMC President and CEO Alex Nogales noted that Hayek and ABC-TV “have successfully demonstrated that the American mainstream television audience is ready for more programming featuring American Latino actors and elements of their rich cultural Latino experiences.”

Ugly Betty stars Tony Plana and Ana Ortiz served as masters of ceremony for this year’s black tie event that also honored Golden Globe winning actress America Ferrera with the organization’s Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Television Series award at last year’s gala.

Other honorees included Culture Clash (Outstanding Achievement in Theatre award), the fabulously talented Chicano/Latino performance troupe in the country that is comprised of three outstanding performers, Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza who have been entertaining American audiences with their unique comedic humor since 1984.

Actress Kate Del Castillo, who picked up the Outstanding Performance in a Motion Picture, was recently nominated for Best Actress in Mexico’s highest acting honor, the Ariel Award for her role in American Visa. She also appeared in Trade, and will soon star in Fox Searchlight’s Under the Same Moon.

Alana De La Garza was honored with an Outstanding Performance in a Dramatic Television Series for her role as an assistant district attorney in NBC’s Emmy Award-winning series Law & Order. Born in Columbus, Ohio, to a Mexican-American father and Irish-American mother, her other network show credits include CSI: Miami (CBS) and All My Children (ABC).

Adam Rodriguez, who stars as Eric Delko on the hit CBS series CSI: Miami, was feted with the Outstanding Performance in a Dramatic Television Series award. Rodriguez can also be seen in the 2007 indie movie, Take with actress Minnie Driver.

Eduardo "Piolin" Sotelo of radio fame (Piolin por la Mañana) was honored with the Outstanding Service & Commitment to the Latino Community. In 2007, Sotelo led a writing campaign with his listeners that resulted in over 1 million letters that Eddie delivered to Congress, asking for fair and just immigration reform.

The NHMC Annual Impact Awards celebrates outstanding Latino performances and achievements with the goal of improving and promoting more positive images of American Latinos both in front of, and behind the camera, and throughout all mediums. More information is available at www.nhmc.org.

MIAMI: Media mogul and award winning talk show host Cristina Saralegui celebrated her 60th birthday with family and friends in February. The Hispanic talk show icon, host of Univision’s top-rated The Cristina Show, was recently inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and is the first Spanish-language television personality to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

February 28, 2008

PASADENA: The National Hispanic Media Coalition has moved its offices from downtown Los Angeles to historic Pasadena, California and opened an office in Washington, D.C. The Pasadena office occupies a wing inside the George H. Maxwell House located in what is known as Old Town Pasadena. The new office is now located at 55 South Grand Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105.

Built in 1929, the Maxwell House was a summer bungalow adjacent to the Vista Del Arroyo Hotel, a luxurious resort that flourished in Pasadena during the early 20th century and now occupied by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Managed by the Western Justice Center Foundation since 1985, the Maxwell House is one of four buildings built between 1925 and 1935 that make up the campus-like complex, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to acquiring a larger space for its headquarters, the NHMC has also named Cori R. Lopez as director of marketing and media relations, a newly created position. Lopez, who will report directly to the organization’s President and CEO Alex Nogales, will be responsible for developing the NHMC marketing plan and all aspects of media relations.

Nogales praised Lopez’s corporate marketing experience and PR skills as well as her “passion for Latino media equality” that makes her “an outstanding addition to our team." Prior to her current role at NHMC, Lopez was a product marketing manager for Unilever Foods and has held various senior marketing positions in the consumer packed goods industry, including the Miller Brewing Company and Mars, Inc.

"The NHMC will remain focused in its commitment to advancing our mission of Latino employment and business procurement equity in the U.S. entertainment industry," said Nogales. "Our community continues to be challenged by a number of media-based initiatives that are simply not good for American Latinos, good for business or good for our country in general."

Established in 1986, the NHMC has statewide chapters in California, New York, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia and Michigan. The new office in Washington, D.C. now expands the breadth of the Coalition’s mission to advance Latino employment and programming equity throughout the entertainment industry and to promote telecommunications policies to include the Latino community.

Heading up the Washington office is Inez Gonzalez, NHMC vice president of media policy whose vast experience in regional politics, says Nogales, “makes her the ideal person to manage this office and help us affect positive change for our community.” Gonzalez, who is the NHMC liaison with national, state and locally-elected and appointed officials, reports directly to Nogales and is responsible for promoting media and telecommunication policies that include and also benefit the American Latino community.

Previous to joining NHMC, Gonzalez was the district director for Congressman Bob Filner (D-51), overseeing the management and operations of two district offices that served over 650,000 constituents. Gonzalez also held positions as public relations and communications manager for a California Health Management Organization (HMO); financial analyst for a defense contractor; and contract compliance officer for the public transportation agency in San Diego.

Gonzalez is a fellow of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Leadership Training Institute and the Women's Policy Institute, a program of the California's Women Foundation. She has served as board member of San Diego MANA in several capacities, including serving as vice president of operations. Inez has a bachelor's in computer science from the University of San Diego and a master's in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.

NHMC reports the biggest challenge that it faces in 2008 is its campaign against hate speech. Anti-immigrant sentiment, perpetuated by conservative talk show hosts, has been attributed to an increase in anti-Latino crimes across the nation. In fact, a recent report from the FBI documents that crimes against Latinos are up a whopping 25% since 2004. "Hate speech is not free speech," explained Nogales, "and the best way to ensure that hate speech is not tolerated, is to work closely with the policy makers. This is why we've opened an office in DC."

For more information on the National Hispanic Media Coalition, please visit its Web site at www.nhmc.org, call (626) 792-6462 or email Inez Gonzalez at igonzalez@nhmc.org.

HOLLYWOOD – Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry has crossed over to Spanish language television with recreation of his hit ABC show that is currently being aired on the Univision network. Now, you can enjoy the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American television comedy-drama series in Spanish every Thursday evening at 10 p.m.

The program, Amas de casa desesperadas, follows the same dialogue and storyline as created by Cherry for American TV, and casting is exceptional. Scarlet Ortiz takes on the role of Susan, Gabriela Vergara is Edie, Ana Serradilla is Gabriela, Julieta Rosen is Bree, Lorna Paz is Lynette and Lucia Mendez takes on the narrator role of Mary Alice.

The male lineup is just as impressive as these seasoned actors take on the roles of their English-language counterparts. They include Bernie Paz, Diego Ramos, Diego Bertie, Leonardo Daniel, Ezequiel Stremiz, and Riccardo Dalmecci.

Amas de casa desesperadas is a production of Buena Vista International Television Latin America, produced by Pol-ka productions.

The show premiered to such huge ratings that the first episode was aired twice, so it looks like Univision has another winner on its hands. Give it a look-see; it’s one of the finest adapted for another language program that remains true to its original format.

PASADENA: Longtime golfer Rachel Yanez is singing the praises of The Latina Golfers Association, an organization founded by Azucena Maldonado. Made up of a growing number of Latina golfers, the organization is holding its Inaugural Kick-Off Reception on March 1, 2008 at the Brookside Golf Course (next to the Rose Bowl) in Pasadena.

The event, Breaking Barriers Through Golf, begins at 1 p.m. and features a golf clinic, a golf-attire fashion show and the opportunity to meet golfers Lizette Salas (USC) and Angela Villelas (Berkeley) competing in the amateur golf circuit.

The Brookside Golf Course is situated at 1133 Rosemont Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103. Cost to attend is only $10 per person. For more information, call (213) 804-8091.

EAST LOS ANGELES – Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles is getting ready for its 21st annual Celebrity Golf Classic, which is set for March 13 at the California Country Club in Whittier.

This year's event chairman is Ray Durazo, a veteran of Hispanic PR who is well known in the community as one of its staunchest supporters and volunteer extraordinaire. Co-chair is Rick Munoz. Golf committee includes Victor Franco, Pascual Garrido, John Hisserich, Richard Hugues, Richard Martinez, Robert Soto and Chris Westhoff.

The boys and girls club has been providing services to thousands of children and youth in the Boyle Heights and City Terrace communities of East Los Angeles for more than 40 years. Proceeds from the event will enable deserving children to participate in potentially life-changing and life-saving programs to help them make the right choice between the gangs, drugs and violence that surround them and a better, more constructive life.

If you can’t participate in the golf event, you can make a donation (major credit cards are accepted) by mailing your contribution to the club at 3218 Wabash Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90063. For more information, please call (323) 263-7519.

January 18, 2008

NEW YORK: Television producer Nely Galan came thisclose to getting fired by Donald Trump as her role as project manager on last Thursday’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” show failed to beat out the male team, which was headed by Gene Simmons. Then this week, Simmons accepted the challenge to head up the female team’s project, and saved Galan from elimination by selecting two other contestants (Jennie Fench, Omarosa) and ended up getting fired himself.

Galan’s company Galan Entertainment has produced over 600 episodes in Spanish and English including the hit reality series The Swan. She is currently developing The New You, a daytime series set to launch on NBC in 2008 that touts health, wellness and beauty for women.

The all-star lineup of celebrities that face off on the city streets and in the boardroom for their favorite charity, includes country music star Trace Adkins, model/actress Carol Alt, actor Stephen Baldwin, Playboy Playmate & host of IFL Battleground Tiffany Fallon, Olympic Gold Medalist Jennie Finch, actress Marilu Henner, former heavyweight-boxing champion Lennox Lewis, best selling author and an America’s Got Talent show judge Piers Morgan, the SopranosVincent Pastore, Lightweight Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz, and Omarosa, the breakout star of the premiere season of The Apprentice. Nadia Comaneci, the most celebrated gymnast of our time and Gene Simmons, best known for his persona in the band KISS, have already been eliminated.

NEW YORK: Top TV producer Nely Galan gets to tell her side of her role on The Celebrity Apprentice in an interview with ABC’s David Puente, now running on the network’s Exclusiva Hispanic News Web site: www.abcnews.com/exclusiva.

Check it out as Puente anchors Exclusiva on ABC News Now for exciting interviews with Penelope Cruz, Placido Domingo, Magic Johnson, George Lopez, Don Francisco, Andy Garcia, Barbara Walters and Bolivian President Evo Morales, as well as reporting on location in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic.

Exclusiva is the only program of its kind produced by a U.S. network. Produced by ABC News Now, Exclusiva features interviews with top Latino figures from the world of film, politics, and entertainment. The program also provides information and breaking news for Latinos living and working in the United States. A new Exclusiva is produced every Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. A Spanish language Exclusiva is also available on iTunes. You can also read and make yourself heard on the Exclusiva blog.

WHITTIER, CA: Whittier residents Victor Franco, Jr. and Judith Wagner, Ph.D, were honored recently by a children’s mental health agency that provides comprehensive mental health and social services for children and their families. The honorees were recognized at the organization’s 50th Anniversary Gala for their support of children’s causes and their unwavering commitment to children and family issues.

Intercommunity Child Guidance Center presented its Humanitarian Award to Franco, an executive with Ek & EK, a downtown Los Angeles-based consulting firm that works with both public and private sector organizations.

Wagner, director of the Broadoaks Children School and Professor of Child Development and Education at Whittier College, received the group’s Children’s Champion Award. A former journalist, she went undercover to investigate the quality of childcare programs in Ohio. In 2003, Wagner was named a Fulbright Scholar in Research and Teaching for a study of minority children in Denmark.

ICGC also recognized Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

Proceeds from the gala dinner benefited the “Early Attachments…that last a Lifetime Infant-Toddler Center,” an ICGC project in partnership with Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier. The Center will provide an early intervention and prevention program for families with infants at-risk for abuse, neglect or foster care placement with the goal of decreasing that risk by providing services aimed at fulfilling the well-being of the entire family system. More information is available online at www.intercommunity.org.

December 05, 2007

Tucson, Arizona: Newlyweds Vivian Castillo and Vincent Lopez’s love story is one that will fascinate their children as it has their loved ones with whom they shared their Hawaiian wedding in a private ceremony (Oct. 26), and the subsequent reception they hosted (Nov. 10) for other family members and friends when they returned home, and which was held in one of the most unlikely places…a Zoo.

The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson was a perfect setting for the evening reception. Guests were treated to a walk through the complex to view the animal collection that includes African lions, giraffes, flamingos, jaguars and a cockatoo island, among other attractions. There were brightly lit trees surrounding the entertainment grove where guests enjoyed a buffet of prime rib, chicken, vegetable dishes, mashed potatoes and other goodies, including of course, a huge serving of the delicious wedding cake.

Joining in the festivities were the bride’s attendants Rose Mary Rosas, Lillian Lopez (Maids of Honor), Marissa Jo Castillo-Ruiz (Bridesmaid), and the groom’s best men Gosta Zetterberg and Jason Davila.

Selecting this site by the couple was not so unusual when one considers that the first place the groom took his bride when they first met was to jail! Both Deputy Sheriffs, they met when Lopez filled in for Castillo’s field training officer and assisted her in taking an arrestee to jail. Some time would pass before their paths would cross again, until a mutual friend set them up on a date. They still remember that date two years ago and the movie they saw. He called her again the next morning and they have been inseparable ever since.

Although they had talked about getting married for quite some time, the bride waited and waited for the groom to come up with the proposal that would fulfill her dream of marrying her best friend.

In keeping with their unusual courtship, the groom could not do anything less than wait for just the perfect moment, which came during a family vacation in Florida, where at a Polynesian resort luau, they took to the stage for a family photo. And it was there, in the presence of her parents, her brother and niece that Lopez got down on one knee and professed his love and asked for her hand in marriage. Her response was a resounding “Yes!” In fact, she thinks she may have responded before he had finished asking her. Crying tears of joy, she hugged him, not wanting to let him go. The proposal, she later said, was “amazing” and “perfect.”

Together at last as husband and wife, these newlyweds look forward to a bright and happy future and no doubt to some more unusual experiences along the way.

HOLLYWOOD: Dancing with the Stars runner-up Mario Lopez stars opposite Melissa Joan Hart in a new ABC original movie, Holiday in Handcuffs, which airs Sunday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m.

Genie Francis (one of my favorite actresses) returns to the small screen Saturday, Dec. 8 on the Hallmark Channel at 9 p.m. in a heartwarming story, The Note. Finding a note from an airplane crash victim, Francis feels compelled to deliver it to the intended person by Christmas.

LOS ANGELES: In keeping with tradition, The Latino Theater Company is once again presenting its adaptation of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin. Adapted by Evelina Fernandez and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, this play, performed in Spanish with music and dance, retells the story of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the Indian peasant Juan Diego in the hills of Tepeyac. The play will be performed free on Dec. 6 and 7 (7:30 p.m.) at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Reprising her role as La Criada Malcriada is our dear friend and fabulous actress-comedian Dyana Ortelli.

BURBANK:Radio Disney has launched it eagerly anticipated listener sweepstakes that provides two lucky High School Musical 2 fans the chance to vacation with their family at The Inn at Entrada, the premier St. George, Utah resort where the hit Disney Channel Original Movie was filmed.

The lucky winners receive a three-day, two-night trip for four, including luxury villa-style hotel accommodations, to see firsthand the golf course where Troy Bolton belted out "Bet on It," the poolside where Sharpay, Ryan and the Sharpettes performed "Fabulous" and the bridge where Gabriella and Troy sang the ballad "Gotta Go My Own Way," as well as several nearby locations which served as the movie's country club location and home base for the stars this year.

The Lava Springs Get-Away Sweepstakes launched December 1 on Radio Disney. Listeners can enter to win by calling Radio Disney request lines (1-888-327-7018) and/or entering the code word of the day online at www.RadioDisney.com. Phone and online entries will be accepted through Tuesday, Dec. 11. Radio Disney local stations throughout the country will also host Lava Springs Dance Parties from Dec. 1-31, where listeners can enter the sweepstakes.

Since August, "High School Musical 2" has been seen by 124 million Total Viewers worldwide, and songs from its triple-Platinum soundtrack regularly chart on Radio Disney's listener-driven Top 30.

The movie on DVD, "High School Musical 2: Extended Edition," debuts Tuesday, December 11 and features the never-before-seen musical number where Troy and Sharpay rehearse Sharpay's elaborate Polynesian song and dance, "Humuhumunukunukua'pua'a," for the Lava Springs Midsummer Night's Talent Show. The exclusive scene, also filmed at the Inn at Entrada, is integrated into the original movie, only on DVD.

Radio Disney is a 24/7 radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families. Kids help pick the music that is played and are encouraged to interact via a toll-free line to the Radio Disney studio.